Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions John and Nancy Trokan The

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Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions John and Nancy Trokan The mountain dulcimer is one of America’s

Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions John and Nancy Trokan The mountain dulcimer is one of America’s oldest folk instruments. Its rich heritage stems from its development in scattered pockets in and around the Appalachian Mountains

Appalachian Mountain Lap Dulcimer The earliest dulcimer we know of for sure, according to

Appalachian Mountain Lap Dulcimer The earliest dulcimer we know of for sure, according to dulcimer historian Ralph Lee Smith, is from the Virginia highlands near Roanoke. It's dated Aug. 28, 1832. So the dulcimer is an early example of cultural diversity. It's basically a Scots-Irish adaptation of a Pennsylvania German instrument that got to be a part of southern Appalachian culture like apple butter, the Kentucky rifle, sauerkraut and cantilevered barns.

Scheitholt Joe Wilson, director of the National Council for Traditional Arts, traces the dulcimer

Scheitholt Joe Wilson, director of the National Council for Traditional Arts, traces the dulcimer to the "Valley Germans, " whom he describes as "Swiss-German Anabaptist pacifists from the Palatinate who entered the country at Philadelphia and migrated down the 'valley road' through the Shenandoah to both sides of the Blue Ridge in the decades immediately preceding and following the American Revolution. " They brought with them a stringed instrument called a scheitholt, which was a forerunner of the concert zither. In time, according to Smith, a journalist and collector who is considered the most knowledgeable historian of dulcimer origins, Scots-Irish settlers in the Virginia highlands heard their Pennsylvania German neighbors playing the scheitholt and adapted it to the fiddle tunes, ballads and folk hymns of their own musical tradition.

Dulcimer Development Music Box In the Transitional Period (1700 -mid-1800’s) The dulcimer was developed

Dulcimer Development Music Box In the Transitional Period (1700 -mid-1800’s) The dulcimer was developed in the Shenandoah River Valley region of southwestern Pennsylvania and western Virginia out of a blending of British (predominantly Ulster Scots and lowland Scots) musical traditions and a European folk instrument, the German scheitholt, and possibly the Swedish hummel, Norwegian langeleik, and French epinettes des Vosges. Otto Malmberg playing a multistringed hummel

Carter Family Dulcimer Traditions Historical Influences Jean Ritchie

Carter Family Dulcimer Traditions Historical Influences Jean Ritchie

Jean Ritchie After the 1940 s, the dulcimer entered the urban northeast folk music

Jean Ritchie After the 1940 s, the dulcimer entered the urban northeast folk music revival scene largely due to Kentucky-born musician Jean Ritchie who performed and recorded extensively and also published the first major instruction and repertoire book (1963). Born and raised in Viper, Kentucky, Jean was the youngest in a musical family of fourteen children born to Bailis and Abigail Ritchie. During the '60 s folk revival through her appearances at the Newport, Philadelphia, and other folk festivals, Jean introduced this gentle mountain instrument and the ballads and play-party games of her family's Scottish English and Irish ancestors to a new audience. This triggered the revival of the mountain dulcimer. Revivalist musicians such as Richard Farina, Paul Clayton, Howie Mitchell, Betty Smith, and Anne Grimes introduced the dulcimer to national and international audiences, as did recordings and public appearances by such traditional players as Frank Proffitt, Jr. , the Melton and Russell families of Galax, Virginia, the Presnell and Hicks families of Beech Mountain, North Carolina, and the Ritchie family of eastern Kentucky.

The Carter Family made their first recordings for Ralph Peer on the Victor label

The Carter Family made their first recordings for Ralph Peer on the Victor label in 1927, in Bristol, Tennessee. During the next 17 years they recorded some 300 old-time ballads, traditional tunes, country songs, and Gospel hymns, all representative of America's southeastern folklore and heritage. The original Family consisted of Mother Maybelle Addington Carter (1909 -1979), who played guitar and sang harmony; Sara Dougherty (1898 -1979), who played autoharp and sang alto lead; and Sara’s husband, Alvin Pleasant (A. P. ) Carter (d. 1960), who played fiddle and sang bass. They operated out of their homes in the Clinch Mountain area of Virginia until 1938. , when they moved to Texas for three years, and then to Charlotte, North Carolina. They did their last radio show together in 1942, after which Maybelle Carter, who has been called the "Queen of Country Music, " continued the tradition and her career with her three daughters, Anita, Helen, and June who is married to Johnny Cash. The legacy of their old time song collection and writing continues in the drone of dulcimer players today.

Hindman Settlement School’s mission “to provide educational and service opportunities for the people of

Hindman Settlement School’s mission “to provide educational and service opportunities for the people of the mountains, while keeping them mindful of their heritage” has allowed it to evolve to meet the changing needs of the local community and region. The Settlement School’s major work today includes educational programs that address critical needs of both youth and adults in the region, expand cultural awareness and serve as a bridge between past and future generations of Appalachian teachers, writers, storytellers, musicians and crafts people. Hindman Settlement School was the first and most successful rural social settlement school in America. Established in 1902 by May Stone and Katherine Pettit at the forks of Troublesome Creek in Knott County, Kentucky, the school soon became a model center for education, health care and social services. Earning praise as “the best school in the mountains, ” it not only transformed the community of Hindman, but also contributed significantly to regional progress. The school has played a vital role in preserving and promoting the literary and cultural heritage of southeastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia. Settlement schools were responsible for passing on the mountain lap dulcimer and the old time and gospel music of the Appalachian culture. The Hindman goal was “To learn all we can and teach all we can. ”

Appalachian Mountain Lap Dulcimer Styles Ban-jammer Hour Glass Galax Electric Dulcimer Tear Drop Dulcibro

Appalachian Mountain Lap Dulcimer Styles Ban-jammer Hour Glass Galax Electric Dulcimer Tear Drop Dulcibro

Contemporary Dulcimer Designs Construction designs for the dulcimer are now easily available and dulcimer

Contemporary Dulcimer Designs Construction designs for the dulcimer are now easily available and dulcimer making has become a hobby and cottage industry throughout the U. S. Many makers have refined the instrument, expanding its musical capabilities. Unlike other instruments that have a distinct evolution to their present form, the dulcimer is still being reinvented all the time. Variations of the instrument now include a cardboard dulcimer, a "backpacker's dulcimer" or dulcerine (fretboard without a soundbox), a dulcimer with a banjo sound hole, and an electric dulcimer. Bowed Dulcimer Courting Dulcimer Aorell Dulcimette

Dulcimer Woods Most of the dulcimers of hundreds years ago were made of poplar

Dulcimer Woods Most of the dulcimers of hundreds years ago were made of poplar which was readily available, easy to work, and not subject to warping with temperature and humidity extremes. Some few were made of walnut, cherry and maple. These woods have been most common in the twentieth century. Although generally a renewable resource, woodworkers everywhere face increasing difficulty obtaining quality woods from sources where responsible harvesting is taking place. Many of the tone woods take a generation to grow and are becoming more difficult to find. Some of the exotic trees like Brazilian Rosewood are so scarce that it's wood is like ivory and illegal to export. Substitutes will have to eventually be used. Redwood Mahogany

Maple Poplar Walnut Woods Used by Dulcimer Crafters Cherry Chestnut Oak

Maple Poplar Walnut Woods Used by Dulcimer Crafters Cherry Chestnut Oak

Dulcimer Playing Styles Traditional playing styles on the dulcimer were probably varied, consisting of

Dulcimer Playing Styles Traditional playing styles on the dulcimer were probably varied, consisting of adaptations of other instrumental techniques, notably the bowing of the scheitholt and fiddle and the strumming by hand or plectrum of the banjo and guitar. The instrument was usually placed horizontally across a table or the player's lap with the right hand sounding the strings with fingers or a plectrum made from wood or a feather quill while the left hand played a melody line by pressing down on the fretboard with a noter (usually a rounded stick or twig) or fingers. Generally melodies were played on the first string only (the other strings functioned as drones) resulting in a musical effect similar to that of bagpipes. Sophisticated techniques for utilizing all the strings for melody, for playing chords, and for fingerpicking have been developed by both traditional and contemporary dulcimer players, notably Frank Proffitt, Jr. , Clifford Glenn, Howie Mitchell, Lois Hornbostel, David Schnaufer, Neal Hellman, Robert Force, Albert d'Ossche, and Madeline Mac. Neil. Noters and picks specifically for dulcimer are now manufactured.

Dulcimer Repetoire The traditional repertoire of the dulcimer included the full range of repertoires

Dulcimer Repetoire The traditional repertoire of the dulcimer included the full range of repertoires found in the mountains, including traditional British balladry and hymnody, dance tunes (fiddle tunes, waltzes, and polkas), and popular play/party songs from the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, along with minstrel show tunes and popular sentimental songs, gospel (black and white), blues, and commercial hillbilly music of the twentieth century. The older British-derived repertoire was emphasized by the romanticists of the instrument, and the dulcimer is still associated today with those styles of music, although contemporary players have expanded the repertoire enormously. Because of its soft volume, the dulcimer is thought to have been used either as accompaniment to singing or for instrumental solos, but it was also used in string bands and instrumental duets where it functioned as a melody instrument and also provided harmony and a rhythmic background through the slapping of the pick against the strings.

Dulcimer Design and Construction designs for the dulcimer are now easily available and dulcimer

Dulcimer Design and Construction designs for the dulcimer are now easily available and dulcimer making has become a cottage industry throughout the U. S. Many makers have refined the instrument, expanding its musical capabilities. Variations of the instrument now include a cardboard dulcimer, a "backpacker's dulcimer" or dulcerine (fretboard without a soundbox), and an electric dulcimer. Numerous dulcimer clubs have also formed, and a quarterly magazine, "Dulcimer Players News, " began publication in Winchester, Virginia, in 1975. Recordings and instruction books are now available and although a variety of playing techniques and repertoires have developed, the dulcimer still carries the aura of romanticized, simplistic Appalachian folk culture. The dulcimer is usually 75 to 90 cm long, its width varying according to the shape of the soundbox, commonly hourglass or teardrop. There are many variants in design and construction, including smaller child-sized and larger concert-sized instruments. Traditional instruments had three strings, the melody, middle, and bass. Additional strings sometimes doubled the original three, most frequently the melody string in order to give a greater volume to the melody line. Contemporary dulcimers frequently include extra string notches so that a fourth string can either double the melody string or be equidistant between the melody and middle strings. Strings were generally metal and borrowed from other instruments, but strings specifically for dulcimer are now manufactured.

Dulcimer Tuning The fingerboard was divided by metal frets into two and a half

Dulcimer Tuning The fingerboard was divided by metal frets into two and a half to three octaves of a diatonic scale, rendering the dulcimer a modal instrument. The two most commonly used modes seem to have been the ionian (major scale) beginning on the third fret and the mixolydian, beginning on the open string. The dorian (4 th fret) and aeolian (1 st fret) were probably also used. Contemporary dulcimers frequently include a 6 1/2 fret, and some makers now offer a 1 1/2 fret or even a complete chromatically fretted instrument. The frets on earlier dulcimers were placed under only the first two strings, but most dulcimers made after 1940 have frets extendng the full width of the fingerboard, an innovation that allows wider ranges for melody lines and chording on the other strings. On traditional dulcimers the strings are tuned according to the mode being used. Two common ionian tunings had the melody and middle strings at the same pitch, a fifth or octave above the bass string. Other tunings included the melody and bass strings an octave apart with the middle string a fifth above the bass or the strings tuned to create either a major or minor chord. Contemporary players have devised even more tunings and have adopted the use of capos to change keys without retuning.

David Schnaufer Lee Rowe David Haas Contemporary Dulcimer Artists Stephen Seifert Joe Collins

David Schnaufer Lee Rowe David Haas Contemporary Dulcimer Artists Stephen Seifert Joe Collins

David Schnaufer was a musician who revived the use of the dulcimer in country

David Schnaufer was a musician who revived the use of the dulcimer in country music and taught the instrument to many students. Schnaufer recorded with The Judds, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Kathy Mattea, Mark Knopfler, Emmylou Harris, Chet Atkins and many others on dulcimer, a gentle stringed instrument used in Appalachia since the 1800 s, derived from zithers brought into North America by German immigrants in the 17 th and 18 th centuries. Anybody can make beautiful music in five minutes of playing the dulcimer, ” Schnaufer often said. “It’s the simplest of all the stringed instruments, but can be as complex as anything else. Schnaufer had been an adjunct associate professor of dulcimer at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music from 1995 -2007.

Lorinda Jones grew up in a musical family in a small town in South

Lorinda Jones grew up in a musical family in a small town in South Central Kentucky. She began performing at an early age, and has pursued music through a wide range of instruments including piano, oboe, dulcimer, harp, tin whistle, psaltery, zither, autoharp, and guitar, among others. In Lorinda's performance, her audience gains an appreciation for the historical development of these instruments and for the American and Celtic music she presents. With five CD's and five books to her credit, Lorinda is nationally recognized as an outstanding performer, recording artist, teacher, and publisher. Lorinda is also a board-certified Music Therapist, owner of Music Therapy Services of Central Kentucky, providing contract music therapy services for children and adults with mental, physical, and emotional disabilities. Lorinda is a founding member and still active with the Heartland Dulcimer Club in Elizabethtown, Kentucky and is the director of the Heartland Harps ensemble.

Robert Force In my journey the dulcimer has been my philosopher’s stone; teaching and

Robert Force In my journey the dulcimer has been my philosopher’s stone; teaching and transforming me. Throughout my life I have found that whatever I touched with music yielded its best nature and beckoned the same from within me. For many of my thirty years of teaching, performing upon, and writting compositions for the dulcimer, twenty of those years were in partnership with Albert d’Ossch, departed from this planet these past eight years. Separately and together we careened around the country and parts of Europe doing things with the American Dulcimer no one had ever seen or heard. More on both Albert and myself can be found at: http: //robertforce. com/wilddulcimer/WDCH 112. HTM I have been married to Janette Force for 26 years and have two children now in college: Dakotah, 21 at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah and Sam, 18, at Beloit College in Wisconsin. Janette and I are also grandparents to Molly Janette Force. Molly’s mother Kelly is an artist who also has work on the web.

Don Pedi Since 1985 Don Pedi has been an on air host on NPR

Don Pedi Since 1985 Don Pedi has been an on air host on NPR affiliate WCQS, Asheville, NC. Don's current show, "Close to Home " airs weekly, on Saturdays: 8 -10 pm Now with the audio archives, you can listen at your leisure to Don's unique blend of Traditional, Old-Time, Acoustic Blues, and Contemporary Folk music from the hills of Appalachia to the far corners of the world.

Shelley Stevens has been playing music for most of her life. Shelley was introduced

Shelley Stevens has been playing music for most of her life. Shelley was introduced to the Appalachian lap dulcimer in 1984 and has been in love with the instrument ever since. She has arranged music of many styles to the instrument and has taught workshops at festivals in the Eastern US including Appalachian State University at Boone, NC, Morehead University at Morehead, KY, Shady Grove Dulcimer Camp at Urbana University in Urbana, OH and at Heritage Dulcimer Camp in Kansas City, MO. Shelley delights in playing music from all genres on the mountain dulcimer, an instrument usually associated with traditional and old time music. Shelley's first dulcimer tablature book "O'Carolan Harp Tunes for the Mountain Dulcimer" was published by Mel Bay Publications in 1993 and she has published other books through Tweetwater Productions. Among these are "The Three String Orchestra Volumes I and II" dulcimer books of all classical music arrangements and "The Baker's Dozen" a series of dulcimer tablature books. In 1998 her book "Stephen Foster for the Mountain Dulcimer" was published by Mel Bay Publications.

David Haas Dave Haas lives in Charleston, WV and has been playing the mountain

David Haas Dave Haas lives in Charleston, WV and has been playing the mountain dulcimer for 10 years. Dave earned a Ph. D. in Chemistry from the University of Cincinnati , worked for twenty years in the Chemical Industry, and is now enjoying a second career as Professor of Chemistry at West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery , WV. He teaches dulcimer in both private and group settings, and was the founder of the Almost Heaven Dulcimer Club in Charleston, WV. Dave loves to share the mountain dulcimer and its history with schools, churches, and civic organizations, and has even brought dulcimer music to those in prison! Dave also plays the guitar, sings, and leads music on Christian retreat experiences such as Kairos Prison Minisitry, The Walk To Emmaus, and Teens Encounter Christ. Dave performs with Bob Webb as a dulcimer/guitar duo.

Joe Collins, National Champion mountain dulcimer player, began playing the mountain dulcimer in the

Joe Collins, National Champion mountain dulcimer player, began playing the mountain dulcimer in the late 70 s in coffeehouses, churches, and schools. As an instrument of praise to his God and entertainment for others, the dulcimer quickly became an important part of Joe's life. Since that time he has written several books of dulcimer music, produced 4 CDs, and has performed across the country in a number of different venues. In September of 2007, he won the title of National Champion at Winfield, KS. He loves working with and performing for people. His seven books of dulcimer tablature grew out of a desire to teach others to play. He is a popular mountain dulcimer clinician at festivals, offering clear instruction supplemented by easy-tofollow instructional material. Joe graduated from East Carolina University with Bachelor and Master degrees in English, from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity with Religious Education, and from NC State University with a Doctorate in Adult Education. He has worked in Religious Education for most of his professional career and now serves as Assistant Professor of Religion at Gardner. Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC. As much as he loves sharing his music and craft, he loves the opportunity to share his faith in Jesus Christ even more. E-mail at dulciman@bellsouth. net.

Gary and Les Gallier Les and Gary Gallier, nationally recognized as pioneers and innovators

Gary and Les Gallier Les and Gary Gallier, nationally recognized as pioneers and innovators on the Mountain Dulcimer, are redefining not only how the instrument is played but the music it is capable of. Each won the title of National Champion at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield Kansas by introducing two very unique playing styles. Gary flatpicks melodies on all the strings, much like a guitarist, while Les, playing in a different tuning, slips on fingerpicks to produce surprisingly intricate passages. The Gallier Brothers compose 90% of the music they play, blending influences from classical, Irish, rock, jazz, and mountain styles, to create a true signature sound. For the past four years, the Gallier Brothers have performed with the same personnel as a four-piece ensemble. Gary Gallier-dulcimer, Les Gallierdulcimer and guitar, David Wilson-fiddle, mandolin, and cello, and Steve Duede, bass. All members contribute subtle percussion. Recording is underway on their fourth album.

Lee Rowe is introducing new audiences to the plaintive sound of the mountain dulcimer,

Lee Rowe is introducing new audiences to the plaintive sound of the mountain dulcimer, an instrument that has it's roots in the Appalachian frontier of early America. Lee has held onto the instrument's traditional roots while creating new music that transcends easy categorization. His arrangements of traditional music won him numerous awards including the 1999 U. S. National Dulcimer Championship in Winfield, KS. His original compositions gained prominence with the release of his recordings, "Wire and Wood" and "Memories, Ghost Stories and Second Chances. He has completed three books for mountain dulcimer. He performs solo and as a member of the Nashville Dulcimer Quartet, which performs a repetoire of classical, country, Celtic and old time music. In February 2004 he made his debut as a soloist with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. Currently he is Adjunct Artist Instructor for the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Larry Conger is a builder, player and teacher of the Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer. He

Larry Conger is a builder, player and teacher of the Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer. He makes his home in Paris, Tennessee, a small town halfway between Memphis and Nashville. There he operates a private music studio, teaching piano and guitar as well as mountain dulcimer. Larry is active as a participating artist for the Tennessee Arts Commission Arts In Education program and the Kentucky Arts Council Teacher Incentive Program, presenting dulcimer programs in the public schools. A graduate of The University of Mississippi (Bachelor of Music 1978), Larry has been involved with music as a vocation for over 25 years. Larry has also served as a Church Music Director for several Baptist churches. Larry has several dulcimer books and recordings to his credit, including contributions to Great Players of the Mountain Dulcimer and Masters of the Mountain Dulcimer II, compilation CDs featuring many of today's top dulcimer artists. He has also been featured on three Japanese compilation CDs of international acoustic music. The Acoustic Breath CD series has enjoyed widespread acclaim in Japan.

Stephen Seifert’s teaching and playing has made him a favorite with dulcimer players all

Stephen Seifert’s teaching and playing has made him a favorite with dulcimer players all over the country since 1991. In that time, he’s been a featured performer at hundreds of dulcimer festivals and other music events including Kentucky Music Week in Bardstown, KY, Mountain Dulcimer Week in Cullowhee, NC, Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, WV, The Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, AR, Stringalong near Milwaukee, WI, The Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS and The Tono American Music Festival, in Tono, Japan. Stephen has been a dulcimer soloist with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra since 1996 and is featured on their Warner Classical recording of Connie Ellisor and David Schnaufer’s Blackberry Winter, a concerto for mountain dulcimer and string orchestra. The piece continues to be in regular rotation on many classical stations around the U. S. He was Adjunct Instructor of Mountain Dulcimer with David Schnaufer at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music from 1997 to 2001. Besides festivals and workshops, Stephen keeps busy with his monthly mountain dulcimer video instructional series. Hundreds of students around the world have subscribed. Each student periodically receives a lesson which includes a 50 page book, an hour long DVD, and a practice audio CD. www. stephenseifert. com

Dulcimer Education Today Bob Webb with one of the five-sided dulcimers at Camp Washington.

Dulcimer Education Today Bob Webb with one of the five-sided dulcimers at Camp Washington. Carver. (Photo by Michael Keller)

Future Generations: Memphis Dulcimer Camp The Memphis Dulcimer Gathering Mountain Dulcimer Youth Camp. The

Future Generations: Memphis Dulcimer Camp The Memphis Dulcimer Gathering Mountain Dulcimer Youth Camp. The week-long camp was designed for up to 15 kids ages 9 -18. Campers built mountain dulcimers from cardboard kits, learned to play a few songs, listened to traditional stories and music, and began arranging music by the end of the week. They performed at a concert for their families and friends, too! The young students made really unique looking instruments by decorating the cardboard kits with their original designs. Participants came away from the camp loving the instrument.

"To entertain and educate our neighbors and communities with beautiful music by mountain dulcimers

"To entertain and educate our neighbors and communities with beautiful music by mountain dulcimers and traditional mountain instruments. “ HOKD is active in the community providing entertainment at a local Elderhostel and other public facilities such as libraries and nursing homes. HOKD often participates in area festivals such as the Cincinnati Appalachian Festival and The Gathering at either French Lick, IN, or Lexington, KY. Individual members will often be seen performing or teaching at other festivals and events. We always strive to promote our music to young and old alike. HOKD meets on the first and third Thursday of each month. The purpose of each meeting is to provide instruction, to rehearse for performances, to discuss club business and to play music. We primarily feature the mountain dulcimer (a. k. a. Appalachian dulcimer, lap dulcimer, hog fiddle, duckslammer); however club jams include the washtub bass, mandolin, guitar, autoharp, fiddle, flute, train whistle, etc. Our library of music is extensive and includes old time, gospel, folk and pop music. Meeting jams will progress from a slow pace in consideration of novice players to the fast and furious. There is music for all. Mountain dulcimer instruction is provided for all levels. Structured instruction is offered. We often invite guest instructors to teach technique or a new tune. Many club members are willing to teach other instruments.

So where is the play button on that thing? ? ?

So where is the play button on that thing? ? ?

 “Tuning my dulcimer……I did that last year!”

“Tuning my dulcimer……I did that last year!”